Our Health Services Research Center primarily engages in non-traditional policy analysis and policy research. Our basic approach is to analyze a set of related health policy issues through such steps as reviews of existing work, discussions with investigators in the field, the undertaking of short-range research projects, and critical analysis of the assumptions underlying previous thinking; to then prepare and present policy recommendations based upon our analysis and research to a variety of policymakers including Congress and HEW; and to provide technical assistance in regard to the policy issues in question to policymakers at their request. During the previous year we have concentrated primarily on the following issues: 1. Formulation of a broad health maintenance organization strategy, and conducting a nation-wide empirical survey of developing and operating HMOs. 2. Development of an information system on state and federal policies affecting HMOs, and an understanding of health care regulation and cost control efforts. 3. Ongoing studies of national health insurance, including assistance to the House Subcommittee on Health (Paul Rogers, Chairman) on the design and implementation of national health insurance overview hearings. 4. Development of a quality assurance outcomes measurement and seeking loci for employing and testing the method. In the coming year we expect to further develop our work in the above areas, and to expand our efforts in quality assurance, regulation, and monitoring the development of HMOs across the country.